News Briefs

SMEast-

East students and teachers will receive new MacBooks for the 2018-2019 school year. Since the district’s four year contract with Apple ended this year, students are updating their 11-inch MacBook Airs to 13-inch MacBook Airs and teachers will be receiving new 13-inch MacBook Airs.

Teachers received their new computers the week of May 1 while the students will be given their new laptops at fee payment for next year, according to Associate Principal Britton Haney. Students who keep their computers over the summer for school-related activities such as Harbinger and debate, will keep the current computers and trade theirs in at fee payment.

The cost of the new computers will cause no major financial repercussions because the district has money that is built in for improvements like technology according to Haney.

According to Haney, many of the computers are run down after being used every day for four years. Students are experiencing issues such as broken shift keys and screens that do not stay open.

“Many of our computers are starting to show their age even with students who have done a really good job with taking care of them, “ Haney said. “It’s time to replace them.”

Sophomore Sidney Reicker’s volume broke on her MacBook and she is looking forward to being able to watch videos without hearing static.

“Working volume would really benefit me because I would be able to watch educational videos more efficiently without having trouble understanding what they say, “ Reicker said.

These new computers are expected to increase productivity and reliability with up-to-date software according to Haney.

Local-

Prairie Village Mayor Laura Wassmer announced on April 25 in an email to city council members that she will not be running for a second term. She shared this announcement via email with her council members, and will make a formal announcement at a city council meeting today.

After her term ends on Jan. 1, 2019, Wassmer plans to pursue other passions and spend more time with her long distance relatives, according to an interview with the Shawnee Mission Post. Wassmer couldn’t be reached for an interview.

Former Ward Three City Councilman Eric Mikkelson also announced that he will run this fall to fill Wassmer’s position. Mikkelson, who is an attorney by profession, was elected to city council in 2014, and in June 2017 he announced he would not be running for another term on council to let new, eager candidates serve.

While working on the council, Mikkelson was able to work closely with Wassmer, which is something that he believes will prepare him to be the Mayor of Prairie Village.

Ward One Councilwoman Jori Nelson has also worked very closely with Mikkelson and believes that he is a very engaged and effective councilperson.

“I’ve worked with Eric for years over tough issues, and I can unequivocally affirm that he is a dedicated public servant who agreed to step up as Mayor for the right decisions. We will be lucky to have as our Mayor,” said Nelson.

Wassmer is the longest serving member of the governing body, beginning her city council work 20 years ago as Ward Four Councilwoman and became mayor in 2015.

At the beginning of her term, she signed an agreement with VanTrust Real Estate and Johnson County Park and Recreation District that brought a new 84-acre public park in Prairie Village, along with the housing developments on the former sight of Meadowbrook Country Club.

Ward One Councilman Chad Herring believes that Wassmer has done a great job as mayor, particularly by increasing green space and her great leadership skills.

“[A Prairie Village mayor] should work very hard to increase the quality of life for residents, for students, and for workers so that everyone hear can live stronger, happier, and healthier lives,” Herring said. “That’s the role of the mayor.”

 Herring believes all city council members will miss Wassmer’s presence on the council, but they are eager for new leadership.

According to Mikkelson, he is ready to run for the Prairie Village mayor position and continue the work Wassner completed during her term, to benefit Prairie Village in the future and present.

National-

The Tinder Wildfire near Phoenix grew to 13.5 square miles on April 30. The smoke from the fire caused a haze of smoke extending as far as Colorado. The fire started in Coconino National Forest, near Happy Jack, and although temperatures are lower than in most of Arizona, the Ponderosa pines and brush are an ample fuel source according to an article by USA Today.

In Arizona, officials have started to evacuate many areas, prompting places such as the Twin Arrows Casino to open their doors up to people fleeing the Tinder Wildfire.

More than 500 firefighters and others in the Arizona area are working to stop the quickly- moving fire. Planes trying to help contain the fire grounded on April 29 due to the high winds near Phoenix and many fire troops could not get through the rocky terrain safely.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Tinder Fire is one of several fires affecting air quality in Colorado. The department listed the air quality and visibility in Denver as moderate. This means that the air quality is acceptable but with some pollutants there is a moderate health concern for occupants.

An article by the Denver Channel stated that fire danger from areas east of Denver all the way to Colorado Springs were  high until May 1.

Junior Hazel Eastlack, who lived in Arizona until 2007, believes wildfires in particular are very destructive due to the rapid spreading. She is worried about the regular occurrence of wildfires.

“I know [Arizona] is a desert but I think it’s really pretty and there’s a lot of plant life that you don’t think of there. Fires are really hard to contain and deal with and I think there is something to be said that we have had so many fires.”